DMC’s long-running “Speech on the Beach” Tournament brings forensic competitors to Heritage Campus Feb. 7-9
Five-member Vocal Vikings forensic team vied against competitors from eight other collegiate institutions in debate, public address and oral interpretation events
Article by: Richard Guerrero, Jr.
Competition put at least 50 university and college students to the test as they met Feb. 7-9 to demonstrate their skills in public speaking, debate and oral interpretation events. Competitors from eight institutions vied for tournament places in their categories during the 15th annual “Speech on the Beach” collegiate forensics tournament held by the Speech Program with Del Mar College’s Department of Communications, Languages and Reading on the Heritage Campus in the Solomon M. Coles Classroom Building.
This year’s competition drew students from Bellevue College (Bellevue, Washington), The University of Texas-Austin, Texas State University, San Antonio College, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Lone Star College-North Harris. DMC’s Vocal Vikings forensics team, which includes Team Captain Chloe Castillo, Lauren Cavada, Bella Mendez, Natalie Palacios and Elyda Vasquez, also competed in various events.
DMC’s Vocal Vikings didn’t end the competition empty-handed, winning four awards at the event. Here are the team results:
DEBATE (International Public Debate Association style)
- Chloe Castillo – Second Place – IPDA, Second Place - Top Speaker in Debate
PROGRAM ORAL INTERPRETATION (POI)
- Natalie Palacios – Third Place – POI - Saturday; Fifth Place - POI - Sunday
- Elyda Vasquez – Fourth Place – POI - Saturday; First Place - POI - Sunday
Events included Extemporaneous Speaking, Persuasive Speaking, Communication Analysis, After Dinner Speaking, Poetry Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation and Program Oral Interpretation, to name a few.
Sarah Contreras, DMC Professor of Speech Communication and Director of Forensics, said oral discourse has long been a staple of American society, and since COVID, the need for better communication skills has become even more apparent.
“By participating in Speech activities like the ‘Speech on the Beach’ Tournament, students not only learn to organize their thoughts and support their opinions with research but also learn the value of teamwork and supportive competition,” Contreras said.
She added, “If a student is in Debate, they learn to see and argue for all sides of an issue. If a student participates in Public Address, they learn to organize their thoughts and communicate them in a clear way. If a student participates in Oral Interpretation, they learn empathy for characters and their stories. And by being on a team, the students learn not only to support their own teammates, but to take criticism to improve themselves and to rejoice in any winner from any school. It is truly a wonderful activity for college students.”
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
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